


lavender incense

by creabimus



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Introspection, Other, Speculation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-03
Updated: 2018-03-03
Packaged: 2019-03-24 18:45:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13817208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/creabimus/pseuds/creabimus
Summary: A missing moment when Molly and Beau lead Caleb out of the mineshaft.





	lavender incense

Molly recalls in glimpses. Lightning flashes smatter his mind, but the images dissolve into dust before he recognizes the feel of their weight. What exists somewhere beyond the muddled haze he feels some longing for - he cannot pretend to wish he didn’t know the depths of his person - but he knows the past is such for good reason.

He takes comfort in the familiar yet too often puzzling weight of his scimitars, the decorated coat spun with stars he doesn’t remember possessing, the tarot meanings which glide off his tongue as if he was born into this life knowing the universe’s secrets, Yasha’s hand on his shoulder when the world is vast and hollowing.

He molds himself based on things he cannot remember.

But here, in the darkness of the mine shaft, he forgets to care. Kylre dredged up a long-nursed fear of Molly’s own accidental lies; but the manticore is impersonal, unknown, so Molly feels himself dance through the unabashed glory of the present. He is, and he will be.

Caleb’s foot catches on a rock he can’t see, but Beau catches him with ease. “Steady there, hotshot,” she murmurs. Her and Molly’s eyes meet each other and he has to stifle a laugh because the darkvision goggles look so clunky. She glances at Caleb, moves her lips before she thinks of what she wants to say, and knits her brows together. 

He doesn’t like her. He doesn’t. But she can be good. 

Molly feels Caleb slumping forward. Admittedly, he would also pass out on his feet if it were safe as would the rest of them, but he knows they need to keep going lest something worse arrives out of the shadows. 

He still looks ahead at the others before stopping. 

“It’s just a small break,” he tells Beau before she starts asking questions about how muddled his reason became in the fight. Beau nods, and together they set Caleb upright on a small boulder. Beau stands, and Molly crouches in front of Caleb. 

There are stories in that head of his. His past must be a reflection of his outward appearance. His blue eyes tell Molly nothing, but at the least they focus on what image of Molly Caleb can see. If Molly blinked, would he miss the smatterings of emotion written across Caleb’s face? If Molly paid attention, would he never see it?

Molly brushes some dirt away from Caleb’s cheek, so his hand comes back smudged. He wants to touch his face again, to pull Caleb out of his own head. He still feels pressure against his lips from when he kissed Caleb’s forehead. He doesn’t know him, he wants to know himself first, but Molly wants whatever demons lurk in Caleb’s memory banished. 

If he could help, then so be it.

“We’ve only got a bit farther now.” But Caleb barely nods. Molly threads a hand through Caleb’s sticky, stiff hair, and he murmurs as softly as he can, “it’s over, Caleb,” and leaves his hand there. 

“Molly - “ Beau stops. She gathers herself. “Caleb, I get you need time but we have to move. The others’ll be waiting.” If Molly cared to look back, would he see her smiling or not?

Caleb’s eyes narrow. He glances in Beau’s direction, murmurs, “I’m fine,” and pulls Molly’s hand from his face. His hand stays on Molly’s as Beau helps him stand. His hand only falls alway when Molly wraps an arm under Caleb’s shoulders. If Molly focused, would have felt the warmth of a hand against his own?

“Thank you.” 

The cave almost swallows Caleb’s words. Molly wants to laugh because it was never a debate whether he helped Caleb or not, but he doesn’t. “You’re welcome,” Beau drawls with a smile hidden in her words. Molly parrots her. He lightly taps his fingers against Caleb’s back. Just to reassure Caleb he’s there.

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr @ iugias


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